Chicagoland Soccer Top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
This was the week the rest of the country discovered the high quality of Chicagoland soccer.
Three of the top five and four of the top 10 teams ranked in the national poll conducted by MaxPreps are Chicagoland programs.
Libertyville rated as the top team in the nation followed by Waukegan (no. 4) and Morton (no. 5). New Trier is No. 10.
It is not, of course, a predictor of success going forward, but it testifies to the skill, power and depth of the local game. Is Libertyville the best team in the country?
Last year Morton was top-ranked nationally until they were unseated by Naperville North in the supersectional. Morton was awfully good; on that day the Huskies were a little better.
One interesting thing is the uneven nature of scheduling. The IHSA altered its in-season tournament allotment and now permits teams to play up to three tournaments and 24 regular season games. St. Edward has already played 18 games. Libertyville has only played nine.
The difference in sample sizes certainly throws a curve in the wider equation. But with the state tournament seeds looming in Class AA and Class 3A this is an interesting time.
The two big climbers are St. Charles North, winners over Waukegan in the championship of the most competitive bracket at the PepsiCo Showdown on Sunday at Triton. Oak Park and River Forest made a strong climb with a 3-0-0 week against conference foes Lyons and Downers Grove North, and crosstown rival Fenwick.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
This was the week the rest of the country discovered the high quality of Chicagoland soccer.
Three of the top five and four of the top 10 teams ranked in the national poll conducted by MaxPreps are Chicagoland programs.
Libertyville rated as the top team in the nation followed by Waukegan (no. 4) and Morton (no. 5). New Trier is No. 10.
It is not, of course, a predictor of success going forward, but it testifies to the skill, power and depth of the local game. Is Libertyville the best team in the country?
Last year Morton was top-ranked nationally until they were unseated by Naperville North in the supersectional. Morton was awfully good; on that day the Huskies were a little better.
One interesting thing is the uneven nature of scheduling. The IHSA altered its in-season tournament allotment and now permits teams to play up to three tournaments and 24 regular season games. St. Edward has already played 18 games. Libertyville has only played nine.
The difference in sample sizes certainly throws a curve in the wider equation. But with the state tournament seeds looming in Class AA and Class 3A this is an interesting time.
The two big climbers are St. Charles North, winners over Waukegan in the championship of the most competitive bracket at the PepsiCo Showdown on Sunday at Triton. Oak Park and River Forest made a strong climb with a 3-0-0 week against conference foes Lyons and Downers Grove North, and crosstown rival Fenwick.
Rank | LW | School | W | L | T | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Libertyville | 8 | 0 | 1 | Ranked best in country |
2 | 2 | Naperville N | 12 | 1 | 1 | Ethan Harvey great 2-way player |
3 | 3 | Bradley-B | 10 | 0 | 0 | Explosive offensive talent |
4 | 11 | SC North | 9 | 1 | 3 | Gabriel D’Amico with Pepsi game-winning PK |
5 | 4 | New Trier | 12 | 3 | 0 | JoJo Farina is big-time athlete |
6 | 5 | Waukegan | 9 | 2 | 1 | Rated in the country’s top 5 |
7 | 6 | Morton | 11 | 1 | 1 | Back to dominating teams |
8 | 8 | Glenbrook N | 11 | 2 | 1 | Brandon Mankoff another emerging weapon |
9 | 20 | OPRF | 11 | 2 | 0 | Brody Bliss keys impressive win vs. Lyons |
10 | 7 | Naperville C | 10 | 4 | 0 | Quality shutout of Notre Dame (Peoria) |
11 | 10 | Prairie Ridge | 13 | 0 | 0 | Best start ever |
12 | 9 | Lyons | 9 | 4 | 1 | Quinn Fraser is skilled defender |
13 | 23 | St. Edward | 18 | 0 | 0 | Dominates LW Central at cola final |
14 | 12 | Dundee-Cr | 12 | 0 | 2 | Game vs. Prairie Ridge looms |
15 | 13 | Evanston | 9 | 2 | 2 | Tough loss against rival New Trier |
16 | 17 | Barrington | 13 | 3 | 0 | Getting settled in and better |
17 | 14 | Streamwood | 9 | 4 | 1 | Bryan Mora is special offensive talent |
18 | 16 | Mt Carmel | 12 | 1 | 0 | Catholic League’s most dangerous team |
19 | 19 | Carmel | 8 | 2 | 0 | Nate Passarelli is skilled defender |
20 | 24 | Woodstock | 15 | 0 | 0 | Best start in program history |
21 | HM | Glenbrook S | 11 | 2 | 3 | Stuns New Trier 2-1 |
22 | HM | Plainfield C | 11 | 1 | 1 | A very improved team |
23 | HM | Bremen | 12 | 2 | 2 | Young and talented team on rise |
24 | HM | St. Ignatius | 9 | 3 | 2 | Sachin Medler keys Marmion win |
25 | 22 | Leyden | 9 | 1 | 2 | Francisco Toral leads win over DG South |
Look out for: Young, West Aurora, Loyola, Elgin, Lincoln-Way West, Lincoln-Way Central, Round Lake, Latin, Lockport, Bulls, St. Patrick, Solorio, Wheaton Academy, Wheeling, Maine South, University (Chicago)